thought i would let you all know

[petjeffery]

Had a miss hap. Last week with a circular saw. I have lost the top off my middle finger. Had a lot of surgery on it could have been a lot worse off. Just be careful. You all i got a lot of time away from turning now any way tc all chat soon

[woody]

Painful hope it heals up quickly I bet most of us on here have done the same I know I have but not quite lost anything hope to see you turning soon

[thebowlerhattedturner]

Hi Pete,
           there is always a lesson to be learnt by your own or other people's accidents.At one time you couldn't call yourself a wood machinist unless you had bits missing! When you get back to it, which I hope will not take too long, make some push sticks and more importantly, use them.
Get well soon
Regards
John
BHT
PS I talk from experience.

[woodndesign]

Pete, sorry to read of your accident, hope you're on the mend and up an working soon, accidents can happen so quickly, an too the best of us and at times be so silly done.

Cheers and too all take care.

David

[petjeffery]

I would like to thank you all for the kind messages means a lot to me doctors say ill be looking at a good few mouths before i can get back to any like driving or woodturning. I got to have hand phisyo to try and get the second joint moving again. It won't have as much movement as it did. As i made quit a mess of it. Any way looking forward to seeing all your work in the gallery to keep me going. Getting very down about it.

Any way you all keep safe

[TONY MALIN]

Sounds nastier than  you originally reported. Sorry.
Not wishing to appear facetious, I'm reminded of the old story ---- How did you do it? Well I just stuck my finger in there! OMG I've done it again!!!!
A while ago a neighbour of mine (who does a bit of turning) wanted me to saw some wood for him. He's so nervous he wouldn't even stay to watch!
A great many safety devices have been developed over the years for different pieces of machinery, but next to none for lathes, saws and even things like knives, chisels and even hammers. So how many accidents go unreported?
At recent demos, I've been disappointed to see thumb and forefinger used to see if the surface of a spindle is sufficiently rounded.
SAFETY FIRST.

[petjeffery]

As for how i did it well i was cutting a nice pices of oak. Some how i slipped and then that was when some how it went in. The worse part was cleaning up the work shop as luck has it wife helped out. But it sure has opend my eyes to a few things about being extra careful now

As i first reported it was just the case of have top part removed
But when they got my into surgery they found i had gone throw the nerve and throw tender as well had to have tendern refixed and as for the nerve it was to far gone and the bone was gone as well not what the xray  showed. Turns out the bone the bone had come out and the finger filled up with saw dust. Which made it look like the bone had

[thebowlerhattedturner]

Hi Pete,
           It does sound nasty but you will be surprised how soon you will recover and adapt. Just for information, not just you but everyone who looks in, if you use a machine,saw.planer spindle moulder etc. the guards should be set to less than 10mm. ie.  the guard should not allow sufficient room for your finger to pass through. On a saw bench the blade should be dropped so that it only projects above the timber by about 10mm and the blade guard should be lowered to 10mm above the timber should the blade not be dropped. I know in the USA they cut grooves with a saw(over the top) but that practice is frowned on in this country as the blade can bind and grab the wood in a split second. I wonder how many out there using machines in their sheds realise that there is recommended minimum working temperature(which I think is 13.9 deg.) Below this operating machinery is considered to cold. It seems strange to me that I had to do an apprenticeship to learn how to use machinery safely but these days anyone can go and buy and operate a machine with no training whatsoever.
Pete if it is any consolation,when I cut a tendon a while back(a crush injury not a machine accident) I was back working in 3 months.
Good luck.
regards
John BHT

[petjeffery]

Hi again all go back to east grinstead hospital on tursday. To have stitches taken out if its all ok. Will give you all a update after

Important getting lots of pics now starting from when it happened. Very surprise by how good it looks compared to when it happened

[Doug Barratt]

Sorry to read about your accident Pete.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery.




Cheers.

[woodndesign]

Pete, wish you the best of news from the Hospital visit and a speed recovery.

David

[petjeffery]

Hi all had the stitches out. They think everything looks ok. The seem to think that it will be a few mouths before i will get thing's. Morning right.  finger feels very odd. Going to take some getting use to

[thebowlerhattedturner]

Hello Pete,
              glad to hear you are making a good progress, I am sure that you will soon get used to it and hopefully it will not be too long before you are back behind the lathe.
Best wishes for a speedy recovery,
John BHT

[woodndesign]

Hi Pete,  that's great, wish you a speedy recovery.

Take it easy and take care.

Regards,

David

[petjeffery]

Hi all things are getting better now been given the ok to drive again now and have been trying a little turning here